Why the Mind-Body Connection Matters in Healing Trauma

Clients often come to therapy saying, “I understand why I feel this way, but I still feel stuck.”

That’s because trauma doesn’t live in our thoughts alone, it lives in our bodies. In other words, we may be able to intellectually understand that a traumatic event happened in the past and feel like we are “over it”, however, our bodies may still respond to what it perceives as a threat. Even long after the threat has passed, the body can stay in a state of alert, shutdown, or overwhelm. We might know we’re safe, but we don’t feel safe.

Here I explore why the mind-body connection is essential to healing trauma, how somatically informed psychotherapy can help, and what it might look like to gently return to your body as a place of safety, agency, and self-trust.

What Is the Mind-Body Connection?

The mind-body connection refers to the way our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations are deeply linked. For example, we might feel a racing heart before public speaking, a lump in the throat during grief, or a tight chest when anxious.

In moments of stress or fear, our body responds automatically — often without conscious awareness. Over time, especially after trauma, we learn to disconnect from our bodies, to creat a sense of safety and to survive. This disconnection can show up in many different ways - numbness, dissociation, chronic tension, or a general sense of feeling “shut down.”

How Trauma Affects the Body

Trauma is not just what happened — it’s what happened inside us as a result and how our bodies have stored that experience. When the nervous system becomes overwhelmed by something too much, too fast, or too soon, it shifts into protective survival modes: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.

These states are adaptive and necessary in the moment. But when the body doesn’t get the chance to complete these responses or return to safety, the experience can remain "stuck" in the body.

You might notice this as:

• Ongoing hypervigilance or anxiety

• A sense of disconnection or emotional flatness

• Digestive issues, muscle tension, or fatigue

• Feeling “flooded” or “numb” during emotional triggers

Why Talk Therapy Isn’t Always Enough

Talk therapy can be incredibly supportive for insight, reflection, and meaning-making. But when trauma is stored in the nervous system — in the body’s implicit memory — words alone often aren’t enough.

You might be able to explain your trauma story in detail and still feel the same patterns replaying in your body and relationships. That’s because trauma healing isn’t just cognitive — it’s also somatic

Trauma expert Dr. Peter Levine states that “trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.”

What Is Somatic Psychotherapy?

Somatic psychotherapy or body oriented psychotherapy, incorporates the body as a vital part of healing. It’s a trauma-informed approach that gently supports you to tune into your bodily sensations, movement impulses, breath, and internal rhythms.

The methods of this modality may focus on:

• Slow down and notice subtle physical sensations

• Explore grounding and resourcing practices

• Move, stretch, or use breath to release tension

• Work with boundaries, safety, and presence

• Stay curious about what your body might be trying to tell you — without forcing anything

This work is not about catharsis or “reliving” trauma. It’s about creating a felt sense of safety, choice, and regulation — often for the first time.

What Healing Through the Body Can Look Like

Over time, this approach can support:

• A greater sense of calm and inner regulation

• Feeling more connected to your body and emotions

• Less reactivity and more capacity in stressful moments

• Improved sleep, digestion, and energy

• Clearer boundaries and a deeper sense of self

Importantly, healing is not linear — and it doesn’t mean “getting rid” of trauma. It means expanding your capacity to be with your experience, honour your body’s wisdom, and reclaim a sense of choice in how you respond.

A Gentle Invitation

Reconnecting with your body after trauma is a courageous and tender act. It asks for slowness, safety, and care — not pushing or fixing.

If you’re curious about exploring somatic, trauma-informed psychotherapy, I offer my therapeutic services in Melbourne (Naarm) and online. My practice is queer-affirming, relational, and grounded in the belief that healing happens in relationship — with ourselves, with others, and with our bodies.